Of Mystery and Misery
by WinterAssassin
Summary: My name is Lili. No, my name is Róin Stormhall. I am the younger sister of Fíli and Kíli, daughter of Dís, and niece of Thorin Oakenshield, the King. I was kidnapped on my 24th birthday by a group of wandering Olog-hai, and was assumed Dead. But that was Lili. I am Róin. A female dwarf. I'm currently tracking down a group of dwarves I know, with my two friends, an Elf and a Hobbit.
1. Chapter 1: The Kings Mistake

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter One: The Kings Mistake

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Thorin and Company were setting up camp for the night. The sun was beginning to set, and they were all hungry, Bilbo included.

They all began to set up camp for the night, Bilbo standing to the side quietly talking with Gandalf, as few of the others went to get some wood for their fire, while others went to hunt for their dinner.

Only half an hour later, all thirteen dwarves were seated around a fuming fire, along with Bilbo and Gandalf. A large cauldron was placed on top of the burning fire, with Bombur turning the meat inside the broth inside the pot slowly.

It smelled quite nice, as the fire crackled beneath the large pot.

Everyone was eager to eat as they rested around the warmth of the fire. Bilbo handed out some water he had collected earlier from a river near by.

Finally their food was done, and everyone sat in a circle, laughing and joking as they all ate.

Currently, they were all telling stories of days before their journey. And even Bilbo could see that Thorin was inwardly debating, as he had that kind of look on his face as he held his bowl.

"A- And then Kíli had ran straight into one of the female dwarves! H- his head fell right into her chest!" Fíli's loud voice cried out, his chest heaving as he laughed along with everyone else. Kíli even laughed, because laughter was just that contagious.

After everyone settled down, Thorin had made up his mind, deciding to bring up his niece. "Remember when Lili was born? Dís told me she was almost given to the wrong Lass." Thorin muttered, shaking his head.

Fíli and Kíli were quiet, as memories of their younger sister flew through their minds. "Aye, she was adorable." Kíli nodded, suddenly drifting into thought.

Bilbo looked in between all the dwarves, suddenly curious as to why they were suddenly quiet, their mood sullen. "U- uh, if no one minds my asking, who is Lili?" He blinked awkwardly, his eyes shifting around the circle of dwarves before his eyes landed on Gandalf, who even look sad, in a way.

"Lili Oakenshield. She was my niece. And Fíli and Kíli's younger sister." Thorin spoke, clearing his throat as his gaze fell to Bilbo's.

"W- was?" Bilbo stuttered our.

"Aye, she went missing, when she was younger, and we have never seen her since." Kíli said quietly, his hands tightening around his bowl.

Bilbo nodded slowly, "That must have been awful..." He mumbled, standing up and leaving his half-eaten bowl behind.

He left the dwarves to themselves, ready to hit the hay. Gandalf followed closely behind, thinking the same with a sadden expression.

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_Omg_. Sorry the first chapter is like, uber short! I just couldn't think of much to write. But don't worry, the upcoming chapters after this one will definitely be longer_, I swear._

*Is ashamed*

~Love me or Hate me~


	2. Chapter 2: Unforgotten Memories

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter Two: Unforgotten Memories

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_T.A. 2899._

_Lili happily danced around to the music, laughing as her brothers had started a drinking contest with everyone else. She swayed her arms to the music, dancing lightly on her feet as her dress flowed around her frame. Lili smiled cheekily as her mother spotted her. Dís passed by a few of the drunken dwarves with ease, patting her brother's shoulder gently as she made her way to her only daughter._

_Dís had a graceful smile on her face as she pulled her youngest into a warm hug. "Happy birthday, Lili." She said softly, pulling away and giving Lili a kiss on her forehead._

_"Thanks, mother." Lili grinned, taking a step back. Her mother looked over her daughter, gently moving her rosewood curls out of her face so she could get a better look at her daughter. "You still look so young." Dís commented, pausing briefly to glance behind her daughter. "Well, someone is expecting a dance." She barely managed to contain her smile as nodded to the figure standing behind the pair of dwarven woman._

_Lili rolled her eyes, already knowing who it was. "'Ello, Riro Ironhand." She said, turning on her heel, bowing politely at the dwarf in front of her. She gave her mother a quick glance, before turning back to the male._

_"Lili, wou-... would you l- like to dance?" Riro stuttered out, looking quite pale as he sucked in air quickly. He froze when an arm was slung around his neck, pulling him harshly to the side._

_"The 'eck she will!" Fíli chuckled, raising his hand to give Riro a noogie as he dragged the confused dwarf away. _

_Kíli nodded, pulling Lili away from Riro, "Too late, she's already dancing with me!" Kíli smirked at Riro's fallen face, as he walked away with his expression sullen._

_Lili snorted, but allowed herself to be dragged by her brother, "Could ya be more mean?" She teased, choosing to ignore Kíli's obvious smirk, punching his arm lightly._

_"By the way, can't dance. Uncle Thorin promised to give me my gift!" She said, slipping from his grip, and skipping away to where her Uncle was sitting. "Uncle!" She said, sitting beside the King with an expecting smile._

_Thorin let a smile spread to his cheeks, as he dug for something in his pocket. "Here, for you. Happy birthday, Lili." Thorin said, handing his niece a small woodcrafted box._

_Lili giggled with glee, gently opening the box. A golden locket shined from it's thin tree-paper rapping. "Whoa." Lili mumbled, taking the locket from the box. "Did ya make it?" She asked, her eyes still glued to the golden necklace._

_"I helped." Thorin grinned, ruffling Lili's hair. "Thank you, Uncle!" Lili smiled, leaning over to give her uncle a hug._

_"We're under attack!" Lili jolted from her Uncle's grip, turning to face the sound of the voice. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and she spotted the dwarf who looked very alert but also disoriented. _

_"Trolls! Olog-hai!" He cried out, limping forward. His warnings were diminished by the startled cries of the crowd, as many dwarves began to rush away. The woman and children had fled, but then men had stayed or left to get their weapons._

_"Go, Go find your mother. Quickly!" Thorin ordered, pushing Lili towards where he had last seen Dís. Lili nodded, pushing past various panicked dwarves, her eyes frantically searching for her mother, even her brothers. "Mother! Dís!" She called, nearly getting trampled by a few of the older woman. "Mother!" She tried again, but got no response._

_The echo of the battle against the Olog-hai filled her ears, nearly drowning out the sounds of the dwarves around her._

_"Mother!" She called once more, before her foot had caught on a part of the stone that stuck out from the ground. She let a girly yelp out, just about to hit the ground. A large hand caught her, and she looked up in fear. One of the Olog-hai had got hold of her, and he had a giant smile on his face. "Looks like I caught a 'lil Princess." He sneered, taking an empty sack and putting it over her head. _

_Lili screamed and thrashed about, desperate to get out of the hold of the troll. "'Lemme go!" She cried out, swinging her hands down on the Olog-hai's board chest. Her vision was dark from the bag over her head, but she continued to scream and struggle as he carried her away._

_"Mother!" She screamed._

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Róin shot up from her bed, panting with sweat dripping from her forehead. She shakily dragged in air greedily, turning to the side to stare at the sleeping figures beside her. Róin let a soft groan out, her hand touching her head as she shivered from the cold sweat. She could feel a headache coming on, as she sniffled.

"... Róin?" A soft voice interrupted the silence in the room, as a short figure propped itself from the bed. "Are you okay?"

Róin turned to look, and offered a small smile. "Yes, Mirabella, I'm fine." Even though it was dark, she knew that Mirabella could sense her smile.

"Alright... Goodnight, Róin." Mirabella sounded distracted, and not at all convinced, but decided to let it go for now.

"Night, Mira." Róin replied, laying back down on her bed. She stared at the ceiling, long and hard. She nibbled her lip, and eventually heard the soft sound of snoring coming from her companion.

The rest of the night passed by slowly, ending with the first morning light. Róin was still awake, wishing for nothing else but peace.

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It was around noon, Mirabella had finally woken up. She yawned and stretched, crawling out of the bed tiredly. "Maaan, I wish I would'a just stayed in that tree." She complained, arching her back in another stretch, hearing a satisfying crack. She turned and spotted Róin, who was sitting at the desk, reading a book.

"'Mornin," She said, nodding at the female dwarf. Mirabella got no response, and immediately knew something was up. She then remember what had happened last night.

'Another nightmare...' She thought, a frown on her caring face. She slowly turned to the last figure asleep on the opposite bed. A small smile appeared on her face, as she stepped over to the slumbering female.

"Nuin!" She cried out, suddenly jumping on the Elf.

Nuincaliel's eyes snapped open, revealing brandeis blue orbs. She looked down the Mirabella, glaring at her. "_Mirabella Ploughman of Witfurrows_! Did I not tell you to _not_ disturb my sleep!?" Nuincaliel snapped, now wide awake as she literally threw the warm bed covers off the be.

The elf gracefully slide out of the bed, and stalked her way to the bathroom. "I am taking a bath." She stated before the door slammed behind her.

Mirabella shared a look with Róin, before she grinned. Róin shrugged, sticking her face back in the book to hide her smile.

"Alright, where to next, anyway?" Mirabella asked after a slow minute had passed. Róin paused, looking up from her book. She glanced at the cieiling in thought, "We keep to East." She said, nodding in confirmation.

The female-hobbit nodded, a smile on her face. "This is fun!" She said randomly, her short legs hanging loosely off the human-sized bed.

Róin raised her eyebrow at the hobbit in questioning, "Swinging your legs is fun?" She giggled. Mirabella shook her head, "No. What we're doing. It's fun." She smiled sweetly.

"You think tracking dwarves and killing evil things is fun?" Róin snorted, shaking her head as she put her book down. "Believe me, fun is when you're with family and friends." She whispered, getting up from her chair as she headed to the the bathroom.

"Ah- _he_- hey," Mirabella put her hand up in warning, but Róin paid it no attention, as she shuffled closer, and swung the door open.

A loud girlish scream filled the room, as both dwarf and hobbit stared in shock at Nuincaliel, who was still bathing. Róin quickly shut the door with a pained groan.

"Great, now she is 'gonna kill us." Róin sighed softly, her head in her palms. "We need to check out soon. It'll only take us a few days more to catch up, hopefully..." She said, staring at her book, realizing she had lost the page she was on.

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Aww. Cute/sad little flashback. Poor Lili/Róin...

Well, as promised, longer chapter *thumbs up*

(On a side note: Thank you to REDROBINS007 for the review (Another side-side note: IT MADE MY DAY THANK YOU!) *dies happily*.. (Plus the last side-side...side note... Uh, thanks for the alerts and fave TTuTTb I lurv chu all.))

~Love me or Hate me~


	3. Chapter 3: Lurking Thoughts

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter Three: Lurking Thoughts

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It has been hours since Róin, Mirabella, and Nuincaliel had left the inn. It was peaceful and quiet between the trio as they proceeded on their way to Mirkwood. The road was long, and well, not of existence, but also tiring. Mirabella was especially slow, because of her small stature. Being a Hobbit and traveling wasn't as awesome as it sounded at first, but, she would never trade anything for her current life.

Mirabella loved her life the way it was. If she hadn't, she would have never met the Somber Dwarf and Enchanting Elf.

Her bronze curls blew helplessly in the wind, getting in her face every second that passed them. Her hair even blew into her mouth, making her sputter. She did not enjoy eating her own hair.

Mirabella's palatinate blue eyes sparkled with annoyance as she yet again pushed her hair out of her face. "Gosh, this is very irritating." She commented dully, reverting to just holding her hair away. Róin stared at her, looking puzzled. "What is?" She asked after a moment, her gaze on Mirabella as she kept on walking higher up the hill.

Nuincaliel only rolled her eyes, stopping beside the Hobbit. She bent down, taking a piece of very thin cloth from her pack. She pulled the Hobbit's curly hair down and tied it so it hung loosely from the back of her neck.

Mirabella's expression held awe, as she reached back to feel the ponytail for herself. "Thanks, Nuin!" She said happily, continued on as if the best thing in the World had just happened.

Nuincaliel's only response was to shake her head, carefully shouldering her pack as she caught up with the other two females.

Róin smiled, turning around only to trip on a root. She fell to her knees, but stood a second later. She heard giggles behind her, and turned with a sheepish smile.

Pained memories flooded her head, but she ignored them as she continued on.

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It was now nightfall, and the three decided to set up camp for the night. They took refugee behind some large rocks which shielded them from mostly anything.

Róin shed her bag, letting it fall to the ground nosily. She let a groan out, rotating her shoulder gingerly. "Okay, who's doing what tonight?" She asked, looking between Nuincaliel and Mirabella. She began to build up the fire, lighting it after a few moments.

"I'll cook!" Mirabella said quickly, an innocent grin on her face as she plopped down on the ground.

"Alright, Nuincaliel and I can hunt, I suppose." Róin said, looking around the wide open space. "Uhh..." She cocked her brow, wondering if there was _anything _to even hunt. They weren't close enough to the forest yet, so there was nothing exactly _to_ hunt.

"No, I got this from that inn we stayed at." Nuincaliel said quietly, pulling meat out of her bag. It was wrapped in leaves, and she peeled each leaf off as Mirabella got the supplies ready for cooking.

"Oh, okay..." Róin blinked, shrugging it off after a couple seconds. The young dwarf stared at the flames which burned the wood with ease. The fire crackled as the flame swayed from the minor wind that blew past them.

Róin's eyes glazed over, as the fire seemingly grew bigger, until it morphed into a smaller one...

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_"Please-!... 'Lemme go..." Lili sobbed, her frame shaking uncontrollably as she was shoved down. She hit the ground with a pained yelp, and nearly tumbled into the open fire if it weren't for one of the olog-hai troll that caught her just in time._

_Her tears didn't stop pouring as the troll carelessly moved her to the side. Lili's hands and legs were tied, so she couldn't move about freely. She struggled against her bonds, sniffling quietly to herself as she tired desperately to get the rope out of her bloodied wrists. _

_She had found her voice again, and looked at the nearest troll. "W- what do you want from me?" Her voice was almost to quiet, and shaky as she tried to contain her shivers. Dawn had turned to dusk, and it was now cold as usual._

_"Oh, you know. A little of this, and a little of that." The troll barked with laughter, shaking his head. Lili didn't find it funny, and only let the silent hot tears trickle down her redden cheeks._

_"Please..." She whispered, staring at the dancing flames._

_"What?" The troll looked at her in annoyance. _

_"Let me go..." She whined out, clenching her eyes shut as her fingers curled into fists. "No can do, sweetie." The troll continued his ominous roar of laughter, others joining in._

_"Mother..." Lili's voice came out in a choked whisper, wishing that she was with her mother, sitting in front of the fireplace as her mother stroked her hair gently, rocking her to sleep as she did many years ago..._

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Fíli wasn't asleep.

More like, he couldn't sleep. Not after Thorin had mentioned Dís and Lili. He knew his mother was fine, although she was sad to see him and Kíli leave with her brother.

But Lili... He remember back to his sisters birthday. Ruined by trolls. After he had gotten Riro away from his sister with the help of Kíli, he hadn't seen her since.

He had became worried as the days passed, and finally word had reached Thorin. Thorin was very sad to report that Lili-_ Their Lili_, was now Dead. Fíli had seen the shocked faces of his brother and his mother.

Dís had nearly fainted in her shocked state, but instead she had started to cry as she sunk to the ground.

Kíli was beyond shocked, and Fíli remembered that he could hardly move, let alone believe what his Uncle has just claimed...

Fíli shook his head, scrambling his thoughts. He stared up at the night sky, the only light from the very stars and moon shined down on them, illuminating the surrounding forest.

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A nice change of pace? *shot*

~Love me or Hate me~


	4. Chapter 4: Altered Appearance

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter Four: Altered Appearance

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_Kíli sat at the long table beside his brother. He kept poking at his food, not eager to eat. Ever since their sister had gone missing, he hasn't felt the same since._

_Even though he missed her and was worried, he knew that his mother and uncle were worse by far..._

_It has been a few days since Thorin had left with a small group to go and find their missing Princess, and Thorin had requested that he and Fíli stay and comfort their mother. Both had disagreed. They both had the right to go along. But Thorin had managed to talk them into staying with their mother and the others._

_Kíli paused, coming out of his thoughts as he stared at his stew. He frowned, turning to Fíli. Fíli was eating, but very slowly. He looked too distracted._

_Kíli was just about to speak up, but his voice was drowned out when voices flooded the dining hall. Fíli and him turned to the source, both standing once they saw their Thorin and the rest enter._

_Their mother, who had also just entered after hearing word of the Kings return. Dís immediately moved towards Thorin, grasping her brothers arms. "Where is she?" Dís demanded, tears already forming at the corners of her eyes. "Thorin!" She hissed, her eyes wide._

_Thorin stared at his younger sister, his mouth in a thin line. "I'm so sorry, Dís... But the Olog-hai killed her..." He muttered._

_Kíli's heart nearly stopped, sure his mother was even worse off than he or Fíli was. Dís stared up at Thorin as she shook her head. "No." She disagreed. "She is not dead. Those bastards did not kill her!" Dís choked on her own motherly words, tears streaming down her face._

_"I'm sorry." Thorin repeated, holding his sister close as she began to bawl her eyes out._

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Kíli stirred from his sleep, tiredly sitting up in the morning silence. He glanced around, everyone else still asleep. He spotted Gandalf, who he guessed was 'taking watch' for them. He nodded in greeting, finally becoming more awake. He yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The black haired dwarf looked at his sleeping brother, inwardly debating if he should wake him up.

Once Kíli had made his decision, he reached over and gently grasped Fíli's shoulder, shaking him. "Fíli," He whispered loudly. "Fíli, wake up." He said a bit louder.

"No..." Kíli leaned closer, straining to hear Fíli's slurs. "What?" He asked gently. "No." Fíli replied, moving the small make-shift blanket from over his head, revealing a small smile. Kíli moved back, giving his older brother room so he could get up.

Fíli gave another yawn, standing up with a stretch. "Alright, lets wake the others." He said after a moment of silence passed between the brothers.

Kíli nodded, turning to the closest dwarf, Bombur. He shook the heavy dwarf's shoulder lightly, telling him to wake up.

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Róin stared at the knife she held between her fingers. She stared long and hard, before cocking her head back to look at Nuincaliel.

The Elf was standing behind her, waiting patiently. Or so she thought.

"Hurry up, will you? We don't have all day." Nuincaliel demanded with her soft voice, her fingers spreading as she held her palm towards Róin.

Róin sighed, and passed Nuincaliel the small blade. "Just get it over with, then." The female dwarf grumbled, crossing her arms as she kicked at the air beneath her feet.

"Yes, my lady." Nuincaliel joked lightly, even though it was a proper title for the dwarf. "There is much you do not know, that I know."

"Talking in riddles again?" Mirabella whined, making an appearance from behind a tree. Her hair was still neatly held back by that piece of cloth Nuincaliel had given her. Her soft curls gently blew in the wind which shook the tree's leaves gracefully. The hobbit crouched in front of Róin, appearing smaller than she already was. "I like Róin's hair the way it is." She argued, a small frown on her face.

"We've talked about this, Mira." Róin smiled, her frame still as Nuincaliel brought the knife forward as she grasped some of Róin's redden locks. "The Olog-hai, and many others, are still searching for me. I must keep my true appearance hidden, otherwise they'll not only take me, but you and Nuincaliel as well. We do not want that, do we?"

"No..." Mirabella smiled shyly, her chest swelling with an unreadable feeling. She watched the locks scatter through the wind. "Only a little?"

"Only a little." Nuincaliel agreed. Her thin fingers working through Róin's tangled locks. She had already undone each braid and was now beginning to work out all the tangles as she cut off some hair.

A few minutes of silence had passed, and Nuincaliel took a step backwards, smiling. "Done." She said, thrusting Róin's knife back at her.

The movement made Róin jump slightly as the sharp object was jabbed in her direction. She eyed her elf friend, taking the knife from her. "Watching you, Elfing." She smirked, slipping the throwing knife in her boot with ease.

Nuincaliel cocked her delicate eyebrow, "Elfing? I am older than you are, Róin Stormhall." She whispered airily, turning gracefully to head back to where they had momentarily set up camp.

Mirabella was quiet through the whole ordeal, watching the two interact intently. After a couple moments, Róin spoke up. "Come on, Mira, lets go eat." She said, motioning for the hobbit to follow after.

"Oh, good! Finally time for Elevenses, or no, was it second breakfast?" Mirabella asked herself, standing from her crouch as she made to follow the dwarf in front of her. She shrugged after another moment of thought. "Ah well, anyways, I'm hungry." She concluded, grinning childishly at Róin.

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So tired... Remember children; Don't stay up for two days straight. It majorly affects your writing. (Had to do like, major spelling corrections and stuffs... Warning: Still might fail.)

... And for those of you who don't know... Olog-hai (_Troll-folk_) are a type of Troll, created by Sauron. They aren't like Uruk-hai, so don't get confuzzled. They are free to roam during daylight, because they can't get turned to stone like other trolls. I think they are smarter than your averge troll...

~Love me or Hate me~


	5. Chapter 5: Last Moon, First Sun

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter Five: Last Moon, First Sun

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"East, North, South, West."

"_Rhun, For, Har, Numen_."

"Dwarf?"

"_Naugrim_."

"Very good."

"_Lle um_-"

"You don't have to repeat that!" Nuincaliel snapped, standing with a long stretch. Róin smiled sheepishly, also pushing herself to stand on her feet. She shook the dust from her body, glancing around their small camp area.

"_Usquener_." Nuincaliel huffed as she turned to grab her bow, swinging the pack of arrows over her shoulder gently. "_Lle merna aut farien_?" She asked, her blue eyes shifting back to the dwarf.

"We shall hunt." Róin replied, giving the Elf a nod as she made sure that she had her knives on her this time. "_And I don't smell_." She quickly added, stalking past the taller being with a pout which she hid with ease.

"Hmm, you've been studying." Nuincaliel replied, a soft smile peaking at her lips. "Mirabella, you know what to do if anything happens?" She asked, her eyes shifting to the small hobbit who sat at the small fire. The hobbit nodded furiously, a smile on her innocent face.

"Alright, let's go." Nuincaliel said, eyes narrowing in the direction of the forest. Róin nodded, jumping from the rock she was on, the Elf following after her.

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After a successful hunt, the elf and dwarf returned, both feeling tired from their long, painful, but fun hunt in the forest. The came back with quite a lot of meat, leaving Mirabella really excited. Because unlike Nuincaliel, Mirabella and Róin ate _a lot_.

So when once Mirabella had finished cooking, she and Róin happily ate, while Nuincaliel simply rolled her eyes at the two as she took enough to fill her till the next day.

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Barely even a couple days later, Thorin and Company were nearly ambushed by a group of Wargs and their riders, but luckily, Radagast, Gandalf's friend, had lured them away on his rabbit-sleigh.

Unluckily, as they were running, a warg had traced their scent and as the beast and rider were slaughtered, the horrid cries had alerted the others.

Currently, Thorin and all were gathered in a circle, all waiting and watching the wargs every move. He did not see Gandalf, but that was the last of his worries. He called for Kíli to shoot them, as his mind raced for possible strategies against the creatures as he tightly gripped his sword.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard Gandalf yell something. Turning, he saw the wizard slip behind some rocks, disappearing from sight. He yelled for everyone to follow the wizard, stepping closer to make sure his men obeyed.

He easily cut down a warg who tired to attack, and then yelled for Kíli to run. He himself followed after, freezing suddenly when he heard a horn.

A few minutes later, Thorin and the others were all following the narrow path, one by one. The had reached the exit, and he heard the collective gasps from almost everyone of his dwarves, including the burglar hobbit.

With a sneer, he stepped over to Gandalf, his eyes on fire. "This was your plan all along." He whispered harshly. "The elves will try to stop us, even if you think they would give us their blessing." He growled deeply, his anger rising as Gandalf pushed his feelings of hate aside with reasoning.

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It was after a large dinner, Thorin, along with Balin, Gandalf, Elrond, and Bilbo were standing in the glorious moon light by the waterfall. Thorin practically stared in awe as words shone under the stone, and Elrond began reading the runes.

"Stand by the Grey Stone when the Thrush Knocks, and the Setting Sun with the Last Light of Durin's Day will Shine Upon the Keyhole." Elrond read, his eyes intently scanning the map.

"Durin's Day?" Bilbo asked, turning his curious gaze to Balin.

"It is the start of the dwarves new year; when the Last Moon of Autumn and the First Sun of Winter are in the Sky Together." Gandalf answered, Bilbo's gaze turning up to him.

"This is old news, Summer is nearly over, Durin's Day is soon to come." Thorin hissed. Balin shook his head, "We still have time," Balin mused.

"Time for what?" Bilbo chimed in questioning.

"To find the entrance! We need to be standing in the right spot, at the right time." Balin insisted. "Then, and only then may the door be opened."

"This is your purpose, To enter the mountain?" Elrond looked from Balin to Thorin.

"What of it?" Thorin spoke, tight lipped. Elrond eyed the Dwarf King. "Only that there are some who would not deem it wise."

"What do you mean?" Gandalf appeared almost hesitant to ask, but they needed to know. Elrond turned his gaze to his long time friend. "You aren't the only Guardian to stand watch over Middle Earth, my friend." He replied curtly, turning on his heel and walking away from the moonlit area.

Thorin shared a look with Gandalf, before he to left, Bilbo and Balin followed after him, at their own pace. "We set out at Sunrise."

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Sorry it's so mega-short. But at least we're getting some where (finally *coughcough*) Anyways, tried not to make it word for word (changed it a bit), and I'm following the movie, since I haven't finished the book yet... Been busy.

~Love me or Hate me~


	6. Chapter 6: Prolonged Journey

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter Six: Prolonged Journey

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Róin crouched close to the ground, balancing on the balls of her feet as she reached forward. She pulled her fingers away from the ground, the dried mud sticking to the tips of her fingers and under her nails. She inspected it, and gestured for Nuincaliel to do the same.

The Elf obeyed, the dry earth crumbling as she rubbed her fingers together. She looked up, her bright eyes tracing the trail. "It appears that they were heading to Imladris." She spoke softly.

"Rivendell? _Dwarves_?" Róin raised her eyebrow. Nuincaliel's shoulders moved in a shrug as she studied the area further. "I think that they might have not wanted to, but were forced to, prehaps."

"Probably." Róin snorted, Ignoring Nuincaliel's heated glance. "Well, lets go." She announced, motioning down the grassy path.

Nuincaliel froze, turning to the dwarf. "Wait, are you mad?" She hissed, making Róin and Mirabella share a confused look. "Are _you_ mad?" Róin retorted "This is your kin we speak of. I'm sure they would have no problem with you, and us, showing up there. Besides, we can get information on the others." She insisted.

"_Amin uuma malia_!" Mirabella jumped from the harshness of Nuincaliel's voice, taking a step back with a small frown as she turned her sullen gaze to Róin.

"What is your problem?" Róin sneered, her anger rising.

"_Them_! The Elves! I came along with you hoping to escape them!" Nuincaliel stammered, her shoulders sagging as her truth came out.

Róin stared at her with a frown, "_Mani marte_?" She asked softly as the elf maiden's eyes cast to the ground quickly.

"_Amin uuma malia_." Nuincaliel repeated herself in a pained whisper. Róin stared at her for a few moments, before nodding slightly. She turned to the Hobbit, who looked confused.

"What did she say?" Mirabella asked quietly, falling into step beside Róin as they continued to further search the area. Róin hummed for a moment in thought, "Well, basically she's saying she doesn't want to talk about it. But, she'll tell us when she's ready." Róin chose her words carefully, her eyes drifting to the figure of the elf who walked in front of them, inspecting leaves and twigs every so often.

Róin caught up to the elf after a while of leaving her be. Her eyes studied the thin figure before speaking up. "You know, our journey would only be prolonged when we go around Rivendell instead of through." She claimed, a soft smile on her features.

"I know of a way around. It shouldn't take as long as the other ways." Nuincaliel assured, a gentle look settling in her eyes. She idly ran her finger along the bow string, almost in a shy way.

Róin nodded, pushing away from the tree she was leaning against. "Alright, we should still pick up our pace." She instructed, a serious glint shined in her hazel eyes. "Come, Mirabella, we're taking a different route." Róin waved the hobbit forward, gently pushing the shorter being along with them, their pace faster than usual.

OoOoO

It was early dawn when they left, but now it was hard to tell what time of day it was, for the rain that poured from the sky and the lightning that danced across the sky in time with the loud roar of the thunder blinded their vision.

Monstrous clouds blocked any kind of sunlight, making it even more hard to see where they were stepping along the rocky mountain side.

Bilbo flinched every time a long clap echoed in the mountains, resounding off the large peaks. The rain poured down his face, as he tried to look up through squinted eyes. As he took another step, he could feel the rock break under his large foot, making him slip and teeter back and forth. He let out a strangled yell, his heart stopping before pounding inside his chest as he prayed he wouldn't go over the edge.

Beside him, Dwalin grasped his shoulder, yanking him backwards. Bilbo's back hit the rocky slope as he gasped for breath again, his clammy fingers tightening around Dwalin and Bofur's wet jackets. Again, his heart nearly leapt from his chest as Dwalin suddenly shouted.

Bilbo had barely any time to look up as he heard a loud crash and felt a low rumble as chucks of rock came sprinkling down. The burglar-hobbit vaguely heard Balin shout 'Look!', as disorient as he was, he followed the dwarf's pointed finger.

With wide eyes, he could barely believe what he saw, as Bofur exclaimed something about Stone Giants.

He could feel his body sway as a large boulder was tossed from the large rock creature. He watched it soar through the air and smash right into another one of those giants.

"Take cover; you'll fall!" Bilbo heard Thorin shout. He pushed himself as close as he could against the stony side, flinching when a large piece of the mountain came crashing down in front of him, cutting off parts of the edge. Bilbo's heart jumped again when the surface started moving, and he noticed the middle split downwards and come apart.

Another strangled gasp came from his parted lips as the other side containing half of the dwarves glided to the left. He watched them jump onto the other side of the ledge, escaping from the large creature.

The hobbit could feel the giant move around as water kept hitting his face, the rain piercing his eyes, making it hard to see what was going on. Another rumble and Bilbo found himself, and the other half of the dwarves also gliding through the air. He could see the shocked faces of the others as the swept right past them. His hands tightened around Dwalin and Bofur's coats again as he tensed, fearing that he was going to die. The Stone Giant's body was falling almost in slow motion as it jutted forward. His eyes widened as the mountain side came closer, until he couldn't take it and opted for sealing his eyes shut as he waited for the impact.

Surprisingly, the impact wasn't as bad, since they had jumped forward. Bilbo's feet slipped as he clumsily reached forward to grasp something- _anything._

The rocks he grabbed onto were wet with rain and his fingers slide off as his grip was lost. Bilbo's heart skipped many beats as he clung to the side, trying desperately to gain more grip, his fingers digging into the cliff's edge painfully. He wanted to shout, but he could not find his voice.

"There he is!" Bilbo felt his chest swell, as he saw Ori reach forward. The younger dwarf's hand almost found his, but the frightened hobbit failed to reach the hand.

His breath hitched as Thorin practically swung himself off the edge, grabbing onto Bilbo's side, pulling and pushing him up with the help of the others.

Dwalin pulled the King up with minor difficulty as Bilbo gasped for air as he recovered from his shock.

"I thought we lost our burglar-"

"No, he has been lost since he had left his home." Bilbo's eyes immediately shifted away from Thorin's, pulling himself up from the wet slope, eager to get out of the ongoing storm.

OoOoO

Uherm, translations:

_Amin uuma malia! _(I don't care)

_Mani marte? _(What happened?)

Yey, Goblin part next chapter. Who's 'P.O.V' should I do it with? Continue with Bilbo's? Hmmmmm~

~Love me or Hate me~


	7. Chapter 7: Dark Caverns

Of Mystery and Misery

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Chapter Seven: Dark Caverns

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They spent the most of the evening walking, and they were still no where close to reaching halfway around Rivendell. Although they were sure to stay somewhat in the many trees, partly hidden from the outside just incase. The three companions did not want to get into any trouble, so they were wary of every step they took.

"Hey, are we gonna take a break anytime soon?" Mirabella sighed, coming to a stop. "My feet are killing me." She huffed, staring at her un-covered large feet.

Róin also stopped, looking around the area. "I suppose we may rest for a little while. But we still need to keep going, Mirabella, I'm sorry." Róin looked apologetically at the small hobbit.

Mirabella nodded, "I understand. But, just for a little while." She smiled sheepishly. Róin nodded again, glancing at Nuincaliel. "Does this make you uncomfortable?" She asked hesitantly, eyeing the Elf.

Nuincaliel brushed her pale blond hair from her eyes as she scanned the spaces beyond the trees. "Not really, I only do not wish to have a run in with some scouts." She replied, lowering her guard ever so slightly as she leaned against a tree.

Róin nodded, turning away from the Elf, focusing on her hobbit. "Are you sure you'll be alright, Mirabella?"

"I'm fine." Mirabella insisted with one of her sweet smiles. (The sweetest a hobbit could offer.)

"Alright, let us make a fire at least to warm ourselves from this chilly night." Róin murmured, blinking when Nuincaliel came walking up with a few stray branches and leaves that burn well. "Ah, you read my mind." Róin smiled, helping the Elf set up a small area so they could build their fire.

Off to the side, Mirabella scoured through her bag, intent on finding any ready food. "Aha!" She grinned cheekily, pulling a carefully wrapped package from her bag. "I found the rest of the jerky." She singed, happy that they would at least have a snack before they were to set off.

As a Hobbit, Mirabella surely missed the Second Breakfast's, After noon tea, supper, and so on... It was something she left behind, in order to follow her comrades on this wonderful journey. At least with Róin and Nuincaliel, she wasn't treated badly as she was with her family...

Another smiled graced her rosy face as she handed out some of the dried-out meat to her fellow Middle Earthians.

OoOoO

"_No! _You couldn't possibly understand! Your _dwarves_. You used to this-! Not living in one place, _not_ _belonging_ _anywhere_!" Bilbo exploded in a hushed whisper. He tried to ignore Bofur's sullen gaze, _he did- _but...

"I am sorry... I..." The hobbit trailed off, his voice fading in the surrounding cave halls.

"You are right," Bofur began, his eyes glancing to the side, gazing among his kin. "We do not belong anywhere." He nodded ever so slightly, turning back to their burglar. "I wish you all the luck in the World." Bofur whispered, his eyes shining with uncertainty as to letting Bilbo leave. "I really do."

Bilbo nodded, not liking the pulling feeling in his chest. It almost pained him to look at Bofur's offered smile. He gave another nod, and turned around, ready to leave and get back to his comfy hobbit hole of a home.

"What's that?" Bilbo paused, cocking his head curiously at Bofur. He followed the dwarf's inquiring gaze, and looked down at his sword.

He blinked, and pulled it from it's sheath, the blade glowing a faint blue in the darkness of the cave. The Hobbit's eyes widened, and he looked up in shock, as realization flashed across his mind.

OoOoO

They once again set out, determined to catch up with the dwarves. "Is it just me, or is it getting harder and harder each passing day?" Mirabella grumbled.

"You did not have to come." Nuincaliel commented rather coldly, as she burst into a fast jog, passing Róin and Mirabella completely.

Róin gave the hobbit an apologetic look as she fell into step beside her. "I am sorry about her. She's just angered because we're close to Rivendell." Róin said, her voice soft.

"Well, we won't be for much longer. Then she can be nice." Mirabella grinned toothily, bobbing her head up at Róin.

"Aye." Róin laughed, shaking her head. "Come, I suppose we should catch up." She nodded in the direction of Nuincaliel's form.

'This is good, we'll pass Rivendell shortly after sun rise, then head into the Misty Mountains.' Róin thought, keeping her gaze straight as the night carried on.

OoOoO

_Psych_! I'm saving the whole Goblin part for the next chapter. Muwahahaha. Oh, uh, sorry it's so shooorttt? *failure in life*

At least they're catching up... Maybe. *cough cough*

~Love me or Hate me~


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